The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-11
NEWS FROM THE FLOOD.
THE SUBMERGED CROPS GIVEN UP
AS LOST.

AS LOST.
The Planters Adopt Different Tactics
and Endeavor to Hold the Water
Within the Fields-Reports of Serious
Damage on the Ogeechee - The
Water Fresh Eight Miles OFF Tybee.
Details of the flood still come in, all being
of the same general tone, indicating wide
spread disaster The waters have spread
over all the upper plantations, and there is
but little doubt but that the rice crop i'll this
section is nearly a total failure The plan
tiers are nearly all at their places, but moth
ing can be done further than already ac-
eomplished in the way of securing bridges
and other structures
The Ethel came down last night at about
O'Clock, thirteen hours from Cohen's Bluff.
One of the officers said the flood was dis
astrous all the way up the river. The sub
merging of the rice fields begins about
seven miles this side of the Charleston and
Savannah railroad bridge. Many over
flowed fields of grain and corn
were seen from the boats deck Large
quantities of wood piled up alongside the
bank for the steamers have been washed
away, and i'll some places reports are given
of the washing away of barrels of rosin and
other stores awaiting shipment.
THE WOODS FULL OF GAME.
The negroes of the upper portion are busy
catching drittwood, logs and other timber,
and are making quite profit by their
work. They form the best of their catches
into RATS and will make considerable money
before the flood subside The woods are
all full of game now, as the numberleSs
animals are driven from the overlooked
swamps and the hunters are out in full
force One hunter killed four deer in less
than half an hour, all within radius OF
quarter of mile. Rabbits and other small
game are very plentiful. Several bears have
been seen but no captures have been made
as vet.
The water at the railroad bridge is within
two feet of the lower stringers and over the
stone coping. 1t is carefully watched, and
being very substantially built, it is thought
there is no danger
RESTING ON THEIR OARS.
Mr. J. A. Huger was seen last night as he
returned from his plantation, but said he
had nothing new to tell. All of
his fields were submerged and the
water seemed to be increasing.
Regarding the damage inflicted, nothing
had yet developed that made them hopeful.
The prospect was that the entire crop was
destroyed-that is on the submerged planta-
Their, and were only waiting till the flood
subsidized
Mr. James B. Hayward said the prospect
was very discouraging indeed. He thought
that the entire crop of the submerged fields
was lost.
THE RIVER AT IT'S HIGHEST.
The planters now, he said, are fighting on
new line. They are trying TO keep the
water in the fields or rather, as the water
on the flooded fields is higher than the river,
they are endeavoring TO keep it from break
ing into the river The breaks in the en-
bankments will be heavy loss. There are
six or seven serious ones in the creek freshet
bank and the probabilities are that it will
be nearly destroyed.
The river reached its highest point at
Augusta yesterday morning whenit touched
thirty.four feet, but by 10 o'clock last night
it had fallen to thirty-one
feet and was still falling and ~ the
people there hope the worst is over. 1t is
expected that this flood will reach here to
morrow or Saturday and the outlook is not
relished by the planters.
ON THE oGEECHEE
A letter from Shuman's bridge, on the
Ogeechee, states that the losses along that
river from the flood were heavy. The house,
yard and saw mill of H. A. Shuman was
completely overfiowed and between $4,000
and 10000 feet of lumber washed away.
His bridges were comparatively unframed,
only one out of four being damaged to any
extent. His causewav, however, was in
jured to the extent of 81 500, but it will be
nayigable in a few days if the water con-
tinues TO fall. The work on the Birming-
ham and Atlantic Air Line, at this point,
has been retarded but the contractors are
still pushing forward and are doing what
they can.
RUNNING OUT TO SEA.
The pilots report the water fresh for two
miles beyond the sea buoy or about eight
miles off Tybee. The water is drinkable at
the knoll, just abreast of Tybee wharf
There has been no perceptihle flood tide in
the river for four days This shows the inn
menSity of the freshet now rushing TO sea,
ss the ocean tide usually flows inward to
about fourteen miles above the city,
or thrty-four miles from the mouth of the
river Numbers of logs and trees are to be
seen off the bar though not few are seen
passing the city, the tremendous force of the
current apparently pressing them down be
low the surface. The ''scouringn which the
river is getting will probably give n foot
channel from the city to the sea-
VIEWING THE SITUATION
Quite number of citizens took a view of
the submerged rice fields from the MORN
ING News turrer yesterday. A good view
could be had with the naked eye but with
the spy-glass the extent of the devastation
as far as Argyle Island was plainly visible.
The water apparently extends up to the
pine forests on the South Carolina shore
From the turret Tybee Island stood out
much more clearly than usual, the entire
outline could be seen, and the lighthouse,
through the glass, looked but a mile dis
tant